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Home is Where the Heart Is
It seemed the road was her friend these days. A decent trek from her new home resulted in more information, catching up, and a painstakingly detailed portrait. She didn't want to think about how long she took, catching every last inch, shape, of the one, from jawline, to flowing curls, to stunning eyes she risked drowning in. "You're blushing again," Aethon commented cheekily, as the duo continued across the sky, "you're thinking about that girl again aren't you?" "And what if I am?" came the defensive response. "Well, good for you. It's just...surprising seeing you so flustered. Usually you're polite, if cold, and exceedingly direct. Blushing like a maiden in love? That's a new look for you, but it's a nice change." "Really?" The assassin couldn't help but be taken back a bit, though she recovered rather quickly. "I'm not in love." "Uh huh. Do you honestly expect me to believe that? I've never seen you put so much thought into drawing a portrait. Sure you're a perfectionist always, but this..it was like you wanted her to see what you see. Hell, wanted the world to see what you see. I'll admit, she's very nice to look at, but so is everyone and their mother in that group. It's like they refused any ugly applicants. 'Sorry, we only accept the bold and the beautiful here.' What about her has you hooked? Maybe her sunny personality? Sex appeal? Social butterfly that's as sharp as a whip? I know opposites attract b-" the bird let out an oof from Rene's love tap, the assassin's face red as a tomato. "Enough. We need to focus," Rene commented, attempting to change subjects. "Mmmmhmm Reny." the bird snickered a bit, earning another love tap. "A-Anyway, from what Alexis was able to find, he was a citizen of the Pergrande Kingdom....a noble in fact, serving as a knight to top it off," Rene continued, turning that information over and over in her mind. A knight. A noble; in a land so close to her stomping grounds? It was as Fate itself was mocking her. Refrains like "the good ones always die young" ran through her mindscape. "You alright?" Aeth asked, sensing the change in Rene's demeanor. "I'm fine. It's just..odd. To see something when it was always elusive and bare just doesn't feel right," came the halting response. Going from nothing, to a picture, to having a name and place still didn't sit well with her. As with her mother's death, this sudden influx of information felt empty. "Well, at least we have a target now," Aethon said, hoping to have Rene look on the bright side of things. She knew the assassin was especially bothered by how close they had been; a country away from years. Rene even took missions in Pergrande! Just thinking about gave the eagle agita. "Right. The sooner we reach our destination, and any other information, the sooner we return to Dawn Horizon." She couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of dread, however. ---- It looks like her partner was right. Jeanne didn't have to look to know the demon was wearing a smug grin. No, she could practically feel it radiating from the woman. As if on cue, Empusa spoke. "Much nicer on the coast huh?" "Oh shut up." "Now now, that's not how you treat someone who made a sensible suggestion. And to think I practically raised you..such disrespect." Usa pretends to weep. "Save your pity party for someone else," came a quick retort, irritation creeping in. Frustration had long become Jeanne's best friend; she felt her ears ringing every waking hour, no doubt her father's fury at being given the slip. Probably the only thing she remembered from his numerous lectures was how to evade responsibility and slip away unnoticed. So maybe, just maybe he might be a little proud? Jean doubted it. "So....how long are we going to hug the coast like a lover we don't want to let go?" Empusa asked, breaking through J's thoughts. "As long as necessary." "You just don't want to admit you're lost and have not an inkling of where we're headed." "Lies." Truth; she was relying purely on a gut feeling that this was the way. A gut feeling that was slowly leaving her with each passing day; what did she really have to go on? The chance a treacherous bastard decided to let a child live? The figure killed her uncle for sport. She didn't even know what this cousin, if they somehow survived, looked like. Where they were, what they were doing; a thought occurred to Jeanne. What if this hypothetical cousin hated her? Hated the family even; after all, her aunts, parents and uncle actively hid the fact there could be a baby. Well, her aunts and parents certainly did: Uncle Francis probably didn't care either way. This realization gave way to doubt. Maybe she was on a fool's errand. As if sensing her charge's flagging confidence, Empusa pulled up alongside her, patting the young woman on the head. "Giving up already? Where's the headstrong girl who cussed out her parents like a sailor? With words to make a nun blush no less," she said, continuing the incessant patting. "I don't know....I mean. How long have we been at this? We don't have a single freaking clue who or what this person is, if they're even breathing," Jean snapped, her nose flaring as frustration bubbled. "That didn't stop you from going; you saw a possibility and took it. Now stop getting cold feet and keep moving. You're going to leave your cousin flying out in the wind like that?" "Aren't you listening? They're probably dead." "See, that's where you're wrong." Jeanne stopped. "How?" "Isn't it obvious? You may be too young to remember, but that Esme...she's a sicko. I know a hedonist when I see one; I'm willing to bet she let her child live for shits and giggles. Probably thought it would be interesting to dump them somewhere and see what happened as they grew up." Jeanne blanched. "Surely she wouldn-" Empusa's knowing look silenced her. "Have you forgotten? Less than a century ago, I was eating humans for breakfast. And before you say anything about change, nothing removes the fact I did that: and enjoyed every second of it. If I can do something as simple as that, then a mother can willingly abandon her child after killing her mate. The world is full of bad people; it's how the good ones are balanced out. And that's before you get into people doing bad things for good reasons, and good things for bad reasons. These are things you'll need to understand when you rule one day." "But I'm not ruling; we're on this mission to find this cousin so she can rule instead. That way I can go abo-" again, she was stopped by Empusa's expression, this time a smirk. "Please..that's only a part of the reason, at most. As headstrong and ambitious as you are, deep down you care. You hate the fact there's a family member out there, without allies, alone to face a psychopathic mom and a world which would readily crush them under its feet. It irks you that their existence was kept from you; they may be suffering somewhere with every passing moment." "Face it; you're more Jacques' child than Louis'. You feel with all of your soul instead of putting a convincing show that is just that: a show." The demoness smiled as Jeanne huffed. "Believe me, that's a good thing." "That still doesn't change the fact we have zero leads. They could walk right by us or pass overhead and we'd be none the wiser," Jeanne continued. "Maybe you wouldn't, but that's cause you're an adorable little human; I know your uncles' scent; I made sure to memorize the scent of every family member, cause you never know what will happen when it comes to nobles. Flying overhead might be a challenge, but we'll cross that bridge when we reach it." Jeanne thought on this as they continued their coastline trek. "Then onward we go; hopefully lady luck is on our side." ---- They had made good time: the south of Minstrel was imminent. Extremely good time actually; Rene was starting to see what being in Dawn Horizon had done for Aethon's fitness. Stronger wingbeats, far greater speed, precision and control. There was a sharpness to the eagle that Rene realized hadn't been there. Had been because of that? Rene remembered a conversation they had two months earlier, where the bird voiced her concern about "holding the assassin back". When the woman asked for clarification, all she received was "am I too weak?" Something about hearing that broke Renesmee's already frail heart, especially when she realized deep down, she wondered the same thing. Her look must have said it all back then, as Aethon turned away without another word. Other than the day of her journey-starting breakdown, she had rarely seen the eagle, only learning that she was "doing her damnedest to be competent". "You're thinking very hard again. What's on your mind?" Aethon asked, breaking through her thoughts again. "Just the good time we're making; we should be at Minstrel-Desierto border by sundown. A good night push and we'll reach the coast by sunrise. I want to avoid inland Desierto; the dust and sandstorms are too unpredictable and resources too scarce," she responded. Aethon picked up speed upon hearing this. "Understood." She bore right slightly, flying straight for Minstrel. All things considered, the trip had been uneventful so far; she had expected enemy fire once they hit Minstrel. She knew they were no fans of magic casters; they either killed them or shipped them off to slavery. As such, she assumed someone would see a very large bird, with a person on its back, and start shooting. Even if they'd miss at these high altitudes. "You know, I've been brainstorming what your father's kin might be like." Rene steeled herself. "And?" "They'll be probably be petty nobles doing petty things like murking each other. I mean, it's not like any of them chased after Esme in retribution or bothered to see if you were alive. So this trip will be short. See where he lived, where he died, and where he was buried. Then home." The assassin nodded, a little surprised by Aethon's curt tone. Not that she disagreed with the bird; her expectations were so low as to be non-existent. "What do you think?" Aethon asked. "More of the same. This is a mission to gather information, nothing else. We know that he was a knight and a noble from Pergrande. Now, we'll fill in the rest with this trip. Then like you said...back we go." As Renesmee spoke, the sun set, sky gradually darkening around them. "You can sleep you know; it'll be a little bit before we're far south enough to turn and reach the Desierto coast." "Sleep isn't an issue for me. Besides, we...need to talk." "About?" "How I was an insensitive douche, when you asked me that question all that time ago. I'm...sorry." Aethon's brow furrowed as she continued flying. "What ques-Oh. Why apologize? You gave me an honest answer without saying anything at all. We both know I wouldn't be in that guild if I wasn't a plus one." As far as the bird was concerned, Dawn Horizon was full of monsters. Even the weakest mage of the cohort would be S-Class somewhere else; Horizon's S-Classes, meanwhile, ran from Guild Master-level to Wizard Saint to...just not human. It was one of the reasons why she didn't even bother calling herself a mage; not when the skill and power was so huge. Renesmee, meanwhile, fit in perfectly; there was even another assassin who, with his girlfriend, were trying their level best to break Rene out of her shell. Especially after earlier misunderstandings. At the end of the day, she was just a wood carved object who had magic-giving life breathed into her, as a bed-ridden, delirious Rene accidentally revealed following the deed. So Aethon was doing her level best to improve, to maximize this life given and not be a liability to her creator, her partner, her sister by magic if not blood. "Now you're the one thinking hard." Despite herself, the assassin's tone was drowsy. "Go to sleep Rene. I'll wake you in the morning. If the sun doesn't first." A shift and a new weight on her back told the eagle Renesmee had nodded off. ---- A heavy sight escaped Jeanne as she collapsed onto the bed. A loud "oof!" told her Empusa had done the same. While the inn's furnishings weren't plush, it was relatively cheap, which meant resting her head on a pillow instead of the ground. For this night at least. "Stealing daddy's credit card huh? Or maybe his wallet. Such a thief you are." The smirking commentary of Em broke her train of thought. "I'm not a thief. I just...borrowed a bit. He won't even know it's missing." "Uh huh. The knight who steals from the rich; but will she give to the poor?" "Shut up." "Yes, yes dear Robin Hood." Empusa turned over. "Night Jean." "Good nig-" The demoness was already snoring. Jeanne shook her head incredulously, wishing she could be so fortunate as she laid down, staring at the ceiling. With her mind on overdrive, the knight was certain sleep would elude her for several hours yet. So Anne planned. Meeting in the Middle As Aethon predicted, it was the sun which woke Rene from her slumber. Her ancestor; feeling the warm rays on her back reminded her that she was in fact descended from it. The assassin still wasn't sure how she felt about this given she had yet to meet him. Her movement alerted Aethon. "Oh, you're up; perfect timing actually," the eagle stated, "look over there." As the assassin turned, she would see a long coastline, one part dotted with houses and shops, leading to a dock: a town. "We reached the Desierto coast around two hours ago; I was just waiting for you to wake so we could decide if we wanted to stop and eat some-" Aethon's stomach roared. Rene gave a ghost of a smile. "We're stopping." The eagle sagged with relief as she dived, aiming for the town's outskirts. With an "oof", they'd land. As soon as Rene was off her back, Aethon shifted to her human guise, stretching before fighting a yawn. "Maybe we should rest a bit," the assassin suggested, receiving a vigorous headshake from her partner. "Not a chance; all I need is some food and I'll be good to go. We still have a ton of ground to cover before we reach Pergrande," Aethon started before hearing Rene's stomach roar, "seems I'm not the only one." "Food it is." Rene led them into town. ---- Empusa groaned as the sun beat down on her through the window. Shifting positions, she opened up a lazy eye, finding an already dressed Jeanne staring at her impatiently. "You did that on purpose didn't you," the demon accused, part teasing and part annoyed. "It's the only way you'd actually wake-up. I threw several pillows at you, tried dumping you off the bed, even screamed at you in different languages. Nothing. But as soon as I opened the blinds, you hissed like a vampire caught in high noon's glare, even if you slept for a few minutes longer. Are you sure you're not a vamp?" the knight countered. "If I was, I'd have snacked on you for being a little deviant. So rude, so...ru-" A pillow smacked in the side of the head. "Alright alright I'm getting up. What happened to the cute little girl who followed me like a shadow and clung to my leg? Not to mention all those fun pranks we played together." Empusa bemoaned, rolling into a sitting position. "She grew up and decided to become responsible." "By sneaking away from home and pilfering part of her father's funds? Real responsible she is." "Shut up." "There's that little girl." Empusa pretends to wipe a tear from her eye before hugging the knight. She throws on some clothes before heading to the doorway. "Now.......BREAKFAST." "It's almost lunchtime actually." "Brunch it is!" Em tows a protesting Jeanne down the hall and stairs, listing what she'll eat first. ---- Sweat dripped down Jeanne's face as she watched Empusa power through plate after plate. "Um....I'm not made of money. So let's make that your last plate alright?" the knight pleaded. "Awh...didn't pilfer enough? I'm sure you can find more if you put your mind to it; think of this as paying back the dear old maid who changed all your diapers, read you the same bedtime stories hundreds of times, and even suckled you," the demon responded, grinning while her mouth was full. She laughed at Jeanne's shocked expression. "Surprised? Don't be. Noblewomen are super uptight; she wanted to do some newfangled thing called formula I think? She couldn't stomach the thought of a child being breastfed; she forgot that an infant needs proper milk, not some shoddy replacement, so I stepped in. You're welcome." "I-" Jeanne was interrupted by the doors of the establishment bursting open, an out of breath man running in. "THEY'RE HERE." The knight's expression was confused, even as other patrons started murmuring nervously, fear spreading through the space like wildfire. "Who's here?" Jean asked, unable to stop herself. She was rewarded with several incredulous looks. "I'm...not from around here." "THE DIABLO BROTHERS." "They're cronies, and disgusting." "Human traffickers." "Scum of the earth, they raze villages and sell the survivors." "I heard they like to keep a few for themselves." "Really? I thought it was all money with them." "Depends on their mood, they're unpredictable." Bombarded with answers, she would feel the town rock as explosions occurred. The shaking building only whipped up more hysteria, even as it abruptly stopped. Screams could be heard in the distance. "I heard they're monsters." "Isn't one of them into torture?" "Yeah, and not the normal kind either...." "REALLY? No..nonono. I'm too young for that!" "Death or torture??!! Is that what we have to look forward too?!!" Unable to stomach it any longer, Jeanne stood, pulling Empusa up with her. "We're going to find them." Empusa groaned. "There you go being impulsive again. We don't even know what their skillset i-" she saw the diamond-hard blue of Jeanne's eyes. Again, she grinned. "Well, nothing like finding out for ourselves." "ARE YOU INSANE?" The man yelled, having recovered finally. His pleas fell on deaf ears as the two stormed out of the establishment. Jeanne hefted her broadsword once they were outside. "Which way?" "Follow the screams and well...go the opposite way of the running people," Empusa quipped as several streamed pass them. As they took off, another explosion rocked the town, causing the knight and demon maid to accelerate. Lucky for them, the town's small size meant downtown wasn't too far; as they closed in, the screams stopped abruptly, as did the sounds of triumph. Replacing them was the angry bellow of two males, quickly turning to hate; it made sense as soon as they reached the place. Some buildings continued to burn; others were caved in. A woman with large brown wings circled from location to location, rescuing those trapped in the falling structures. Other bystanders looked on in awe, seemingly forgetting the water hoses and buckets in their hands. A few collected the rescuees as the winged figure placed them down, providing blankets and first aid assistance. However, Jeanne would find captured the people's attention standing front and center. Hair like a crown of midnight. Eyes shone like rubies in the high noon sun. Two swords of brilliant crimson, one in each hand. Her magic aura seemed to fill the space. Elevated; looking down Jeanne realized why. The woman had a foot planted on three bodies. One was decapitated; the other two bodies hardily fared better. One at least appeared breathing; not that he could go anywhere in his condition. As if realizing the blood leaking from them, the figure stepped off, eyes flashing before disappearing in the blink of an eye. "Looks like we reached our destination." Empusa's cheeky tone broke Jeanne's trance. She realized the winged woman was starting to fly away, quickly growing distant. "What do you mean reached our destination?" The demoness blinked. "Ms. Houdini is our destination, duh. It must be so sad to walk around with a human sense of smell." She sidestepped a swing. "You might want to reach that winged girl before she disappears to you know." "Shoot. Hey! HEY! Um...Ms. Winged Woman!" the knight took off through the streets, trying to follow the winged woman from the ground below. Em sighed, walking up to the three Diablos. She didn't bother giving chase, expecting to see Jeanne in a few. "I'm surprised Ms. Houdini didn't lose it. All this blood? Just begging to be a feast. She wouldn't have turned it down; then again, she wouldn't have fought them either. Meh. Guess I'll play watchdog until they come back." ---- A feast it would have been. Were not for those pills the witch gave her, Rene would have succumbed; even now her throat burned, despite quickly moving to the outskirts of town. Rene's split focus caused the assassin to reappear, nimbly moving across the rooftops until she was outside of the town entirely. She slowed. Now that the sweet tang was further away, Rene remembered exactly what had transpired; when her and Aethon had been eating, they heard talk of a trio terrorizing the Desierto interior: they were called the Diablo brothers. They had set up a new slave/human trafficking route after the Bosco route & infrastructure had been destroyed. And news carried of them marching towards the coast, aiming to link with ports for easier transport while still avoiding the one who annihilated their Bosco operations. Then they attacked the port town her and Aethon were in. Unfortunately for them, they hadn't expected an assassin to be there. Locating and killing two out of the three was simple enough, but it was difficult not killing the third; her training, her instincts screamed out for it even as she knew it was best to leave one alive for interrogation. With that cheerful thought, she sat down, waiting for Aethon to catch up, while deciding whether or not to leave the town immediately: life as an assassin taught her that fanfare was rarely a good thing. Meanwhile, Aethon would realize she was being followed, not least because of a person who kept yelling to get her attention from below. She accelerated before turning, hovering in the air just out of reach as she sighted the caller. A knight? The massive broadsword she hefted so easily suggested that, as did her athleticism. "Um...you are??" Aeth asked finally as the knight caught up. Jeanne was never so grateful for her training as she was on this day. Already they were at the edge of town; the winged woman's partner was nowhere in sight still. Taking a moment to steady herself, she began. "Jeanne Aquitaine; knight of the Pergrande Kingdom. And yours?" The moment Jeanne said her last name, Aethon's heart stopped. Aquitaine? That was the last name of Rene's father! She tried to keep a poker face. "Aethon....exactly why are you following me?" "I'm looking for a cousin of mine that likely withstood long odds of surviving. If they in fact exist," the knight admitted readily. "I repeat, what does that have to do with me?" "The woman you were with...I want to meet her. I swear on my house and my own name that I just want to talk." Aethon stared Jeanne down for several long seconds. Should she? Something told her the knight was being sincere, but she didn't like the idea of inviting potential trouble to Rene's doorstep. She honed in on Jeanne, using the magic sensory she had acquired and practiced at Dawn Horizon. The eagle knew enough to make out vague fluctuations that informed her of deceit. "Fine. Follow me." Aethon took off through the skies once more, leaving Jeanne to follow below. The trip itself would be relatively short, as the sitting figure of Rene appeared on the horizon. Aethon shot ahead suddenly, covering the last bit of distance before landing. Rene nodded at Aethon, having long decided. "There you are; we should move on. I trust the townspeople will take care of the sole survivor and well, we have a mission to complete. I have no interest in getting bogged down or sidetracked." Aethon blanched. "About that....." she points to Jeanne as the knight closes in. Rene's expression is flat. "Who exactly is she?" Jeanne came to a stop, struck dumb. She remembered the pictures of her late uncle, kept in the living room and her parent's bedroom; the woman had gone through great lengths to memorize them after committing herself to finding her missing cousin. The similarities she had missed in the town square were undeniable now; the same raven-colored hair, fine cheekbones, heart shaped face. Jean remembered stories of her uncle's skill as a dual-wielder, told to her by other knights and squires. She saw multiple swords with Rene as well. The red eyes matched with the figure her noble kin rarely spoke of as well. Too many coincidences. She finally heard Rene's question upon it being repeated. "Jeanne Aquitaine. This meeting has been a long time coming, cousin." Dropping her broadsword, the woman charged forward before sweeping Renesmee into a hug. It was a testament to the them that neither blade was buried in the ecstatic knight. Still not used to hugs, Rene retained her grip on her swords as Jeanne swung her around merrily before setting her down. "I knew it. I knew you existed," Jeanne repeated, a mix of assuring herself of what was happening and a bit of smugness. She then pulled out a photo of the late count, taken from her parents' bedroom. With a flourish, Jean presented it to the assassin. Rene's expression remained flat, even as her heart skipped a beat at the familiar image. "How." "He's my uncle is how. Your father; and I'm certain he's amazed at how you survived and thrived. You definitely have a story to tell. But more importantly," She got on one knee, head bowed. "I apologize for taking so long to find you, Your Noble Highness." "YOUR WHAT?" Aethon barely kept herself from squawking. At first she was tempted to pry the knight away for invading Rene's personal space, but then this Jeanne produced an image of the heart stopper. Once again, Aeth had to bite her tongue to as indecent thoughts welled. However, the last part was something serious. Giddiness turned into genuine remorse, and the final words; wouldn't My Lady suffice? Aeth wasn't an expert on nobles, but she was certain you didn't just call anyone that. Rene beat her to the punch, words already out as the eagle thought of a question. "Why refer to me as that?" Her tone was measured, even. "Because you're his heir. Because you're the Countess of Monte Cristo by birthright. The county, soon to be margrave, is yours." Jeanne saw from Aethon's slack expression and Rene's diamond hard gaze that this was news. "You didn't know? Of course you didn't know. I doubt you knew or cared if the county or the house existed...not that we deserve better, leaving you alone like this." Rene's mind raced. Did Alexis not know about this? No, that wouldn't make sense; she was about has knowledgeable as they come. Had she intentionally withheld it? Why? Did she want Renesmee to find out on her own? She sat down hard, mental gymnastics sapping her focus. Jeanne stepped forward, concern written all over her expression, only to be stopped by Aethon's wing. "Give her some space. You just dropped a bombshell on her. Both of us actually," the eagle added, finally recovering. Her creator, partner, not just a noble, but landed gentry? That meant she had a place; subjects too. Did they know? "Um..can you tell us a little bit more? And um....are you alone?" Jeanne straightened. "Of course. And no, there's one more with me. She's back in town. I can explain what's going on our way back." Rene shook her head, coming to. "No. Bring her here. I'm not having such discussions in a public space, easily overheard. Aethon, can you go retrieve her?" The two exchanged a long look before Renesmee finally nodded. Soon, Aethon was a dot in the sky as she sped back. Jeanne didn't miss the silent exchange; it stung a little. "I gave my word that I was just here to talk, not attack or harm," she said, clearly miffed. "We'll see how much your word is worth then," Rene responded evenly, despite her mind continuing to do somersaults. ---- "Well, she's taking her time alright...." Empusa mused internally. The lone survivor had come to, so she was spending her time with one foot planted on his injured frame and her wicked scythe just below his neck. The crowd that had assembled earlier had grown, including the messenger from the inn. "I hope I don't sneeze, cause it'd be a real shame if your head fell. It's difficult to get dead people to talk am I right?" She only received an angry muttering, which soon became a whimper as her scythe inched closer, nicking the adam's apple. She was distracted from further fun by the sound of wingbeats. Looking up, she'd see the building rescuer from earlier, now hovering over the town square. Squinting, Em could make out confusion on the figure's face. "Hey. HEY. Angel breath!! You hoo! Have you seen a silver lass about yay high? Likes carrying out a broadsword as big as herself?" Empusa called upwards. Aethon looked down as the wind carried the figure's words. Was she the one? The eagle regretted not asking for a physical description; it would have saved her time and energy. She swooped down, landing nearby. "And you are?" she asked, not answering. "Now now, it's rude to ignore other people's questions. But since you asked so nicely, Empusa Bonez. Now, about my question...." Em retorted, smirking. Aethon frowned. Bonez? What a weird last name. "Bonez? Never heard of them." "Oh there's a few of us here and there. Not big on cooperation though so we mostly keep to ourselves. I'll repeat, the knight." With the hilt of her scythe, she knocked out the surviving Diablo brother. Aethon frown deepened. "Mayhap I have. If you want to see her you'll need to come with me." "Oooo. So ominous....we'll, I'm sure this lot are chomping at the bit to have him, so they'll take care of the rest. Lead the way angel breath." "It's Aethon." She begin flying upwards and forwards. "Angel breath." Em followed her from the ground below. "...."